Xbox Sponsors Vans Triple Crown

July 23, 2001

SANTA FE SPRINGS, Calif.–July 23, 2001–

Future-Generation Video Game System to Sponsor Vans Triple Crown

Series to Make its Initial Foray into the Core Sports Market

Vans, Inc. (Nasdaq: VANS) the leading worldwide brand for Core Sports(TM), today announced that the highly anticipated Xbox(TM) video game system from Microsoft (NasdaqNM: MSFT) will make its initial foray into the Core Sports market as a title sponsor of the Vans Triple Crown(TM) Series.

The Series features the world’s top athletes competing in three championship events in each of the following sports: Skateboarding, Wakeboarding, Surfing, Snowboarding, BMX and Freestyle Motocross. Vans has furthered its 35-year heritage and leadership position in the Core Sports industry by signing breakthrough programming deals for the Vans Triple Crown Series with NBC Sports and Fox Sports Net, developing eight nationally-located Vans skateparks, and through sponsoring the Vans Warped Tour(R), the premier music and Core Sports festival, and more than 600 Core Sports athletes. The Vans Triple Crown Series provides an emotional connection to the more than 30 million Core Sports participants in the United States.

Vans is one of the leading youth lifestyle and entertainment-based companies. Its three-year partnership with Xbox provides the future generation video game system with title and presenting sponsorship of three Vans Triple Crown Series sports. Xbox titled events include: the Xbox Pro of Freestyle Motocross, the Xbox World Championships of Skateboarding and the Xbox Pipeline Masters of Surfing, as well as ongoing sponsorship of the overall Vans Triple Crown Series.

“As the premier series of events in Core Sports, the Vans Triple Crown Series provides Vans and our partners with a unique property for connecting with our target consumers,” stated Gary H. Schoenfeld, president and chief executive officer of Vans. “We are very impressed by the approach that Xbox is taking towards elevating the video game industry and we believe that they will be a great partner for the future of the Vans Triple Crown Series.”

“Sponsoring the Vans Triple Crown Series allows us to put Xbox front and center with one of the hottest lifestyle brands,” said Robbie Bach, chief Xbox officer/senior vice president of Microsoft Games Division. “Fans of the series appreciate both adventure and entertainment – qualities Xbox and Vans bring to life.”